Work clamping means



Nov. 27, 1934. R. F. WHITNEY ET AL 1,981,936

WORK CLAMPING MEANS Filed May 9,- 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 1934- R. F. WHITNEY ET AL WORK CLAMPING MEANS Filed May 9, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVEN TORS R -42mm:

Patented Nov. 27, 1934 WORK CLAMPING MEANS Robert F. Whitney and Frederic D. Clement, Winchester, Mass, assignors to The Turner Tanning Machinery Company, Portland, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application May '9, 1933', Serial No. 670,100

17 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for operating upon hides, skins, leather and other similar pieces of work. While the invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine especially adapted for 'scudding operations upon heavy hides, it is to be understood that the invention and important features thereof may have various applications and uses. I

In operations upon heavy hides, particularly in the beamhouse, where hides undergo unhairing, fieshing, checking and splitting operations, it is difiicult to hold the hides against displacement while they are being operated upon, due largely to the very slippery condition of the hides. Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide improved means for holding hides against displacement during treatment thereof. It is a further object of the invention to provide a work holding means of general utility which will be 9 simple and durable in construction and especially efficient for the purpose intended.

To these ends and in accordance with an important feature of the invention there is provided, in the illustrated clamping mechanism, means for forcing a wedge and an eccentrically mounted roll toward each other in a direction transverse to the direction of clamping pressure on the work by said roll and wedge. By this arrangement the roll and an inclined surface on the wedge are rought initially into an effective work clamping relation wherein subsequent rotation of the rollv will serve to increase the clamping pressure on the work through operation of eccentric portions on the roll as the latter is caused to rotate by movement of the work over the inclined face of the Wedge.

From another viewpoint, the invention resides in the combination of a clamp member and an eccentrically mounted roll provided, when in perative position, with a rigidly mounted backing member, in an arrangement wherein rotation of the roll, due to tension on the work, causes eiie-ctive clamping of the work in co-operation with said clamp member. As shown, the clamp and backing membersform opposite sides of an opensided box adapted to receive the roll, the arrangement being such that the roll presses portions of the work against both the clamp and backing members while the latter are rigidly supported relatively to each other. This construction provides an especially effective clamping means for the reason that thegreater the rotation of the eccentrically mounted roll the greater the pressure applied to the work, unyieldingly because of the rigid clamp and backing members. Con-- veniently and as shown, In returning the rotatable roll eans is provided for always to the same initial position and locking it in such position, the purpose being to insure that theroll will always be properly positioned relatively to said clamp memberat the beginning of the clamping operation so that later the clamping pressure may be increased as necessary, to

withstand increased tension on the work, by rotation of said eccentrically mounted roll whereby eccentric portions thereof are caused to move into co-operative relation with respect to said clamp and backing members. Preferably, and as means comprises a latching be moved to unlocking position relative to said roll shown, the locking member arranged'to as said roll and clamp member move into their initial clamping relation with respect to each other.

In the illustrated construction, there is conveniently provided a corrugated clamping plate for co-operation with the 01 amp member on the side thereof facing away from said roll, the arrangement being such that a portion of the piece of work is folded around said clamp member and clamped against opposite sides thereof by said thereof into co-operative relation with said clamp member, the purpose being to provide an arrangement wherein the corrugated plate becomes effective only upon rotation of the eccentrically mounted r011 sincethe latter is the more effective clamping memberof the two.

The above and other important features of the now be described in detail in invention and novel combinations of parts will the specification and then pointed out more particularly in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. '1 is a view in front elevation of a beamhouse machine showing one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view looking from the left in Fig. 1

and is an end elevation with some of the parts in section;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the parts in work clamping relation; and

Fig. 4 is a detail on an enlarged scale showing the clamping means for the Work.

In the illustrated machine, which is specially designed for performing a beaming operat on upon heavy hides, there is provided a large cylinder or drum 10 having a mu ltiplicity of blades 12 (Fig. 4) arranged to operate upon a piece of work such as a hide 14 while the latter rests against a flexible backing member 16 forming the important element of a work support which comprises also a beam 18 to which the upper end of the backing member 16 is rigidly attached. For a detailed description of the illustrated beaming machine, reference should be had to United States otters Patent No. 1,658,506, granted February '7, 1928, upon application of John A. Wheeler, Jr., and Robert F. Whitney.

For holding the work while it is being operated upon by the bladed drum 10 there is provided an improved clamping means which comprises, in the illustrated construction, a clamp member 20 in the form of a wedge, the said clamp member constituting the lower side of an open-sided box 22, another side 24 of which serves also as a part of the clamping means. This box 22 is carried at its opposite ends by rocker arms 26 pivotally mounted upon a shaft 28, the rocker arms being yieldingly supported in the position shown in Fig. 2 by spring means, one for each rocker arm 26 as shown at 30 in Figs. 1 and 2, the said spring means comprising a rod 32 extending through a casing 34 with an end portion of rod 32 projecting from the lower end of the casing. in which position it is held yieldingly by a spring 38 within the casing. The projecting lower end of the rod 32 contacts with an abutment 40 on the frame 41 of the machine. Since the casing 34 is rigidly supported on the rocker arm 26 it is clear that the spring supported rod 32, through its contact with the abutment 40 on the frame of the machine, forms a yielding support for the rocker arm 26.

For co-operating with the clamp members 20 and 24 of the box 22 in clamping the work in position for treatment by the drum 10, there is provided a roll 42 on a shaft 43 rotatably mounted at its ends in. supporting armsv 44 each pivotally mounted at 46 in a lever 48, set screws 49 being, provided tolimit downward movement of the arms 44. The lever'48 is in turn pivotally mounted at 50 upon a bracket 52 rigidly secured to the beam 18'. The lower forked end of the lever 48 is provided with a pivot pin 54 rigidly secured therein which pivotally supports a member 56 (Fig. 4) slid'ablein a recess in a casing 58 rigidly carried by the bracket 52. Within an extension of the casing 58 is aspring 60'having its lower end in engagement with the bottom of the chamber in the casing 58 and its upper or forward end in engagement with a washer 62 carried by a rod 64, the washer 62 being backed by a nut 66 screw threaded on the rod 54. At its upper or forward end the rod 64 is screw threaded into the member 56 and holds the latter yiel'dingly with the pin 54 thereof at the outer or forward end of a slot 65 in the casing 58. It will be understood that this yielding structure for backing the member 56 at the'l'ower' or forked end of the lever 48 is duplicated in connection with the other lever 48 adj acent to the other end of the beam 18. Hence the upper end of'each lever 48 may move to the right in 2, 3-, and 4 against the ressure of the spring 60 in the casing 58. It will be clear that the roll 42 may yield toward the right in these figures, as the said roll comes into co-operative relation to clamp members 29 and. 24, to accommodate variations in the thickness of the work. As the roll 4 is being forced yieldingly against the wedge clamping member 20, it finally comes into'contact with the other clamping member 24 which serves as arigid backing member in opposition to the wedge clamping member 20. Hence yielding of the work clamping means can be advantageously provided for by proper adjustment of the springs 60 which back the roll 42.

As most clearly indicated in 4 the drawings, the roll 42 is eccentrically mounted. From another viewpoint the roll 42 is provided with eccentric portions, as indicated by the dash lines in the cross sectional view of the roll 42 in Fig. 4. When the roll 42 enters the box 22 it is so positioned that its eccentric portions do not come in contact with the clamp members 20 and 24. it is obvious, however, that upon rotation of the roll 42, due to movement of the work under dragging action of the blades 12 on the drum it, the eccentric portions will finally contact with the clamp members 20 and 24 and gradually increase the clamping pressure to such an extent that the hide is clamped against any possibility of movement. Preferably and as shown, flexible pieces oi rubberized fabric 67 and 69 are provided to fold over the edges of the clamp members 20' and 24, respectively, to lessen the possibility of in-' jury to the work during a work clamping operation.

For insuring that the roll 4.2 will be in the po-- sition shown in Fig. 4 as it enters the. box 22, there is provided a locking means for the roll comprising a latch member 70 (Figs. 2 and 3) having a latching stud- 72 which is receivable within a recess '74 in the roll 42. Conveniently and as shown, the latch '70 is pivoted at '15 upon one of arms 44 and is constantly urged in latching direction by means of a spring '76- whoseupper end is attached at 78 to a projecting porv tion of the latch member 70, the lower end oi spring '76 being attached to a pin 80 rigidly connected to an arm 82 projecting from the pivot pin 54- at the lower end of one of the levers 48, the left-hand lever in Fig. 1.

Upon inspection of Fig. 3 it will. be seen that its work clamping relation with respect to theroll 42. Now that the roll 42 is free to rotate, any unusual tension on the piece of work 14 will cause the roll 42 to rotate whereby the eccentric portions of the roll are caused to engage the clamp members 20 and 24 thereby to clamp the work securely.

When the work support, comprising a flexible member 16 and the beam 18, is in open position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a piece of work, such as 2, hide 14 (Fig. 4), may be thrown over theroll 42 with a large part of the hide resting upon the lien ible backing member 16, it being understood that i the flexible backing member 16 extends down well toward the low point of the bladed drum 10. Upon starting the machine in operation by stepping upon a treadle 90 (Fig. 1), swing arms 92 and 93, also pivoted upon the shaft 28, are caused to move upward'y from the position shown in 2' to that shown in Fig. 3, said swing arms 92 and 93 carrying the beam 18 and the roll 42. For thus moving the swing arms 92 and 93 there is provided a shaft 94 rotatably mounted in the frame oi the machine and driven through suitable gear connections fully described in the abovementioned Patent No. 1,658,595. Fixedly secured to the shaft 94 is a gear wheel 96 to which is eecentrically pivoted at 98 one end of a link roe,

the other end of which is pivoted to 102 to the swing arm 92. The other swing arm 93 is operated by a crank arm 101 (Fig. 1) on the other end of the shaft 94. Upon a half revolution of the shaft 94 in the direction of the arrow in Figs. 2 and 3 the swing arms are caused to move from the position shown in Fig. 2-to that shown in Fig. 3, this movement of the swing arms causing the work support to move to Work-presenting position with respect to the bladed drum 10 and the work clamping roll 42 ,to enter the box 22 and engage with the clamp members 20 and 24.

When the work support and the clampingroll 42 move'to open or work receiving position the roll 42 is caused to rotate to a predetermined, initial position in which it is locked by the latching means comprising latch member already described. For'rotating the roll 42, the shaft 43 of said roll is provided with an arm fixedly secured to the shaft at the right-hand end thereof, as shown in Fig. 1. Pivotally connected to the arm 110 is a rod 112 (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) the other end of which passes loosely through an opening in an offset portion of a bracket 114 fixedly secured to the box 22 carried by the rocker arms 26. Upon that portion of the rod 112 which extends beyond the bracket 114 there is provided a spring 116 which may abut atone end against the bracket 114 and at its other end against a washer and nut 118 carried by the free end of the rod 112. When the swing arms 92, 93 move upwardly to cause presentation of the'work to the bladed drum 10 and entrance of the roll 42 into the box 22, the rod 112 slides idly through the opening in the bracket 114. However, upon movement of the swing arms 92, 93 toward the position shown in Fig. 2, the rod 112 moves slidably through the opening in the bracket 114 until the spring 116 encounters the said bracket whereupon the arm 110 is pulled upon to rotate the roll 42 in a clockwise direction thereby bringing the recess '74 (Figs. 2 and 3) in said roll 42 back into alinement with the stud '72 on the latch member 70. When this occurs the latching stud '72 drops into the recess '74 and the roll 42 is rocked in its predetermined initial position.

For increasing the clamping action'upon the work there may be provided, as shown, a corrugated clamping plate 120 arranged to rest upon the beam 18. Preferably and as shown, the plate 120 is engaged at or adjacent to each end by a forked member 122 adapted to embrace a portion of the plate 120 and to berigidly secured thereto by a bolt passing through the fork and through the plate. As shown, the forked member 122 is provided with a shank portion 124 adapted to project through a slot in a bracket 128 rigidly securedto the beam 18. Carried by the shank portion 124 of the forked member 122 is a pair of locked nuts 130 so positioned upon the shank member 124 as to permit sliding movement of the shank member 124 in the recess or slot 126. This arrangement permits movement of the clamping plate 120 to the-right in Fig. 4 as the work piece is dragged over the clamping plate 120 by the clamp member 20. Subsequently, movement of the hide 14 as the latter is engaged by the blades of the drum 10 will effect movement of the clamping plate 120 to the left in Fig. 4. By this arrangement theclamping plate 120 does not become effective to clamp the work prior to rotation of the clamping roll 42 toward its effective clamping position. If the plate 120 were stationary, the work would be dragged over its corrugated surface and possibly damaged to some extent before the roll 42 could become effective.

In operating the machine, a piece of work such as a hide 14 is thrown over the roll 42 and over the flexible backing member 16 into position to be operated upon by the drum 10, it being the usual practice to introduce substantially more than half of thehide into the machine for the first operation. Upon depressing the treadle 90 the machine is set into operation and the work support is caused to move to work presenting position with respect to the bladed drum 10 and the roll 42 is caused to enter the clamping box 22 where it co-operates with clamping members 20 and 24. As the roll 42 enters said box 22, the work is folded aroundthe clamp member-20 and brought into engagement with the clamping plate 120, all as most clearly indicated in Fig. 4 of the, drawings. At the completion of the movement of the roll 42 into the box 22 the roll is unlocked so that it is left free to rotate, rotation of the roll by tension on the work serving to bring eccentric portions of the roll 42 into clamping relation with respect to the rigid clamp members 20 and 24 of the clamping box 22. At the end of a work treating operation the treadle 90 is again depressed whereupon the work support moves to work receiving position shown in Fig. 2 during which the clamping roll 42 is returned to its initial position and locked in such position. The piece ofwork is then removed, reversed, and reintroduced into the machine for treatment of the part which was clamped in the clamping means during the first treating operation. At the end of this second operation the treadle 90 is again depressed to bring the work support to receiving position for a fresh piece of work.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a wedge, and an eccentrically mounted roll arranged to co-operate with an inclined surface on the wedge for clamping the work, and means for forcing the wedge and roll toward each other in a direction transverse to the direction of pressure of the wedge and roll upon the work.

2. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a wedge, an eccentrically mounted roll arranged to co-operate with an inclined surface on the wedge, and a backing member rigidly mounted with respect. to the wedge for holding the roll firmly against the wedge.

3. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a clamp member, a rotatable roll having eccentric portions, the arrangement being such that tension on the piece of work passing between the roll and clamp member tends to rotate the roll and thereby increase the clamping erating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a clamp member, an eccentrically mounted roll arranged to co-operate with said clamp member for clamping the work, and means controlled by said member for locking the roll against rotation until the clamp member and roll reach a 1 r certain clam-ping relation with respect to each: other.

5. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a clamp member, a rotatable roll having eccentric portions, the arrangement being such that rotation of the roll serves to increase the clamping pressure of the roll against the clamp member, and a latch member to lock the roll against rotation, the clamp member being arranged to move the latch member to unlocking position as said clamp member reaches its cooperative position with respect to said roll.

6. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a clamp member, an eccentrically mounted roll, a backing member for holding the roll firmly against the clamp member, and means controlled by said clamp member for locking the roll against rotation until the clamp member and roll reach a certain clamping relation with respect to each other.

'7. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a rotatable roll having eccentric portions, a clamp member against which a portion of the Work is pressed by said roll, and a backing member for the roll arranged to hold the latter firmly against said clamp member, the arrangement being such that rotation of the roll with its eccentric portions between the backing member and clamp member serves to mcrease the clamping pressure.

8. Clamping means for use in machines for opcrating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a clamp member, a rotatable roll having eccentric portions, the arrangement being such that tension on the piece of work passing over surfaces of the roll and clamp member tends to rotate the roll and thereby increase the clamping pressure, means to return the roll to initial position following release of the work from the clamping means, and means to lock the roll against rotary movement and always in the same initial position.

9. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a clamp member, a rotatable roll having eccentric portions, the arrangement being such that tension on the piece of work passing over surfaces of the roll and clamp member tends to rotate the roll and thereby increase the clamping pressure, spring means to return the roll to ini-- tial position following release of the work from the clamping means, and a latch member arranged to lock the roll against rotation until the clamp member reaches co-operative relation with respect to the roll.

10. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a clamp member, a rotatable roll having eccentric portions, the arrangement being such that tension on the piece of work passing over surfaces of the roll and clamp member tends to rotate the roll and thereby increase the clamping pressure, means to return the roll to initial position following release of the work from the clamping means, means arranged to be controlled by the clamp member for locking the roll always in the same initial position, and means to move the locking means to unlocking position during setting of the clamping means upon the work.

11. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a clamp member, a rotatable roll having eccentric portions, the arrangement being such that tension on the piece of work passing over surfaces of the roll and clamp member tends to rotate the roll and thereby increase the clamping pressure, means to return the roll to initial position following release of the work from the clamping means, a latch member arranged to lock the roll against rotation and always in the same initial position, and an extension on the latch member arranged to be engaged by the clamp member to move the latch member to unlocking position as the clamp member moves into cooperative relation to the roll.

12. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a box open at one side, and an eccentrically mounted roll arranged to enter the open side of the box to press a piece of work placed over the roll against opposite sides of the box, the arrangement being such that rotation of the roll after it enters the box serves to increase the clamping pressure of the roll against said opposite sides of the box.

13. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a corrugated plate, a clamp member arranged to move into co-operating relation to the plate in clamping a portion of the work, and an eccentrically mounted roll arranged to co-operate with a surface of the clamp member in clamping another portion of the piece of work.

14. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a corrugated plate, a clamp member arranged to move into co-operating relation to the plate in clamping a portion of the work, and an eccentricaliy mounted roll arranged to co-operate with a surface of the clamp member in clamping another portion of the piece of work, said corrugated plate being mounted to move relatively to the clamp member when said roll rotates in adjustment to the tension on the clamped piece of work.

15. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather, comprising a corrugated plate, a clamp member arranged to move into co-operating relation to the plate in clamping a portion of the work, an ec centrically. mounted roll arranged to co-operate with a surface of the clamp member in clamping another portion of the piece of work, and means to mount said plate for movement relatively to said clamp member when the clamped portion of the work causes the roll to rotate relatively to said clamp member to increase the clamping pressure on the work.

16. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather comprising a box open at one side, a wedge forming a side of the box, a roll arranged to enter the open side of the box to press a piece of work placed over the roll against the wedge and against another side of the box, the arrangement being such that the roll is firmly held against the wedge by the last-mentioned side of the box.

17. Clamping means for use in machines for operating upon hides, skins and leather comprising a corrugated plate, a wedge arranged to co-operate with the plate in clamping the work, and a roll arranged to co-operate with an inclined surface of the wedge in clamping another portion of the piece of work.

ROBERT F. WHITNEY. FREDERIC D. CLEMENT. 

